1
Q
What A03 can be said about Herodotus?
A
- Said to be well travelled.
- Pro Athenian bias.
2
Q
What can be said about Plautarch for A03?
A
- Delphic priest, access to libraries and sources we no longer have – possible examples are Sulla’s memoirs, Ephorus (4th century account of Greek History) and Asinius Pollio (General of Caesar’s and writing about this period.).
- Well-travelled been to Rome and Egypt – something of a celebrity.
- Copies people (derivative) and usually doesn’t tell us. Tendency to moralise and pass judgements on his subjects.
- Contemporary to Suetonius, they may have read each other’s work.
- Biographer not a historian. May explain why he moralises against Julius Caesar (he also writes with hindsight) but thoroughly admires Kimon.
- His copying of Xenephon is particularly obvious
3
Q
What A03 can be said about Suetonius?
A
- Contemporary to Plutarch (2nd century AD around 120). Maybe read each other’s work, we don’t know.
- Uses a range of sources.
- The biographies provide insights into the lives, personalities, and deeds of these emperors. He tended to split his accounts on their reigns into good parts and bad parts (Nero and Caligula are good examples of this).
- He sometimes uses informal sources such as rumours and gossip (i.e. he’s a gossip).
- Harsh critic of his chosen subjects and berates them in his writings for their shortcomings and failings.
- May have had access to imperial records when writing his account on Augustus and possibly Tiberius – was then expelled from the court of Hadrian for allegedly having an affair with his wife.
4
Q
What can be said for A03 about Sallust?
A
- Writes c.4 0 B.C. and he’s contemporary to the events we talk about (even if not in Rome at the time).
- Access to senatorial records (for letter and contents of speeches perhaps).
- His political career was saved by Caesar and he obviously admires him.
- His style is influenced by Thuc, so emphasises accuracy and narrative technique.
- He makes up some speeches, which we know as they are often written in a Sallustian style, rather than that of the speaker (e.g. JC whose work survives, and we can compare).
- Sallust likely fabricates Manlius letter but it does still show the economic situation in 63BC brought on partially be senatorial indifference, and can explain the motivation for some of Cat’s followers.
5
Q
What A03 can be said about JC, The Civil War?
A
- Extremely clever piece of personal propaganda. Written in 3rd person so it doesn’t seem like it’s JC himself (makes his readers forget it but he is trying to spin his own specific narrative, and focuses on the mistreatment of the tribunes to excuse his actions). Accused in antiquity by Asinius Pollio of being inaccurate. (Although his work no longer survives.)
6
Q
What A03 can be said about Cicero?
A
- Roman senator 1st century BC. Consul in 63 BCE.
- Renowned orator and great at speeches. he was a great lawyer too and defended many people successfully in the Roman courts.
- He was a republican through and through (gets him killed in the 2nd proscriptions).
- Wanted to be Pompey’s sidekick essentially so does his best to ingratiate himself with him.
- Novus homo but wants the support of the optimates. He’s conservative.
- We have speeches from him in in the courts (Pro Sestio and In Verrem), speeches (On the Agrarian Law and the Philippics), Catiline Conspiracy (Clodius was after him so he embellishes the threat and his role to look good), and letters to Atticus.
- Letters to Atticus are good for our understanding as these weren’t meant to be read by anyone other than Cicero’s friend, so often contain his own true thoughts and feelings on a situation which he would not otherwise share (e.g., he think the Senate may as well roll over for JC in 49BC to avoid war but he wouldn’t publicly disagree with Pompey).
- Cicero publishes the 4 Catilinarian speeches in 60BC because he’s being persecuted by Clodius for having killed Roman citizens without a trial under the SCU (violating the Sempronian Law). In a letter to Atticus he admits to editing them, unsurprising (look at 4th speech “shall not set consideration for my personal safety above the good of res publica”). 4th speech specifically is published as one long speech but was likely in the style of altercatio as is natural in the back-and-forth of a debate.
7
Q
What A03 can be said about Appian?
A
· Writes 2nd century AD. About 160.
· Greek but a Roman Citizen
· Of the knight’s class and holds the office of procurator (governor of a province)
· His work on Roman civil wars is very useful to us
· He identifies good sources and uses them critically
· He very rarely says what his sources are – although he has spent time in Rome.
8
Q
What A03 can be said about Augustus, Res Gestae?
A
- Res Gestae is supposedly a list of achievements by Augustus, outlining his accomplishments, policies, and contributions to the Roman Empire during his long reign from 31 BCE to 14 CE.
- The Res Gestae provides valuable insights into the political ideology of Augustus and the image he wanted to project.
- We believe it was edited shortly before his death…….
- Inscribed records celebrating a person’s achievements were very common in Rome but Aug’s was far larger as it was carved into his mausoleum. Size indicates he wanted to emphasise the uniqueness of his achievements.
- Antony is not named and is referred to as a faction and similarly Sextus Pompey doesn’t get named but is called a pirate.
9
Q
What A03 can be said about Tacitus?
A
- Lived c.56-120AD.
- Writes in early 2nd century AD (largely under emperor Domitian).
- Access to senatorial archives.
- He’s harsh about the Julio-Claudians and their reigns because he can’t criticise his own emperor.
- His style often reflects that of Sallust (in turn influenced by Thucydides).
- He was a senator (therefore dislikes emperors as senate thought they should be in power).
- When he does say something positive about the emperors, he tends to follow it up with a criticism.
- Especially harsh to Tiberius, potentially because he was comparing him to Domitian (the last Flavian emperor).
- Despite his hatred of Domitian, he received many promotions under him.
- Born an Equestrian but actually served as consul in 97AD (obvs he’d been a senator already).
10
Q
What A03 can be said about Velleius Paterculus
A
- Writes under Augustus and Tiberius and has even undertaken military service with the latter being his general.
- Overly positive about emperors because he has benefitted from the system. Appears to accept that Augustus has restored the Republic. He could be seen as being obsequious.
- Can be rather weak on chronology.
11
Q
What A03 can be said about Dio Cassius?
A
_ Born c.150 and died 235AD.
- senator and consul.
- His work covers from the landing of Aeneas in Rome and end with his second consulship in 229AD.
- May have used Tacitus as a source.
- Was writing much later than sources like Tacitus and therefore may have had access to more sources, however he was writing in a time that had fully accepted emperors and monarchy so may misinterpret some of the workings of a Republican government.
12
Q
What A03 can be said about Josephus?
A
- Circa 37 to 100 A.D. Jewish soldier taken prisoner by Vespasian. Prophesied V. would become emperor. He was alive during the reign of Claudius and Nero. Would have access to imperial records in Rome under Vespasian. His real interest is the affairs of the Jews, so references relevant to the course are fleeting. Having changed sides, he leans towards the Roman perspective.
13
Q
What A03 can be said about Seneca?
A
- Bias: Seneca had to walk a fine line—he was both a moralist and a political survivor. His works are shaped by self-preservation, Stoic ideals, and rhetorical caution.
14
Q
What A03 can be said about Suetonius?
A
- Military tribune and biographer.
- Wrote during the time of Emperor Hadrian around 120 A.D. and was actually his personal secretary.
- Equestrian not senator but still sides with senatorial side against the emperors.
- Trajan dismissed him for “excessive informality” with his wife, Sabina.
- His work appears to be filled with rumours and gossip, as well contemporary authors whose work we no longer have.
- Appears to have had access to the imperial archive for a short time, but appears to have lost access to them near the start of his work. So better on Augustus and Tiberius?
- His style appears to be based on Xenophon’s.
15
Q
What A03 can be said about Quintus Cicero’s “Short Guide to Electioneering”?
A
- This source is supposedly written to his brother, famous orator Marcus Cicero as advice for how a novus homo can win a consular election. However, it’s unlikely that it was actually him that wrote this as he was younger than Cicero and less experienced in politics, so it’s been suggested have been a student under the Principate. Regardless the author clearly understood late republican politics and electioneering.
Ancient History
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